GAT-01 Strike Dagger
From the The Gundam Wiki, the ultimate guide to Gundam
 | |
| Unit Type | |
| Mass Production General Purpose Mobile Suit | |
| Profile | |
| Model Number |
GAT-01 |
|---|---|
| Developed from | |
| Launched |
May 25, 71 C.E. |
| Manufacturer | |
| Operator | |
| Known Pilots |
|
| General Characteristics | |
| Head Height |
18.02 meters |
| Max Weight |
55.31 metric tons |
| Power-plant |
Ultracompact Energy Battery |
| Accommodation |
Pilot only, Cockpit in Chest |
| Armaments | |
| |
| Optional Equipments | |
| |
The Strike Dagger is a Mobile Suit in the series Gundam SEED.
Combat Abilities
Weapons wise, the Strike Dagger's armament is rather simple. It consists of head mounted "Igelstellung" 75mm multi-barrel CIWS for defense against incoming missiles, a single ES01 beam saber for close-combat, which, when not used, is stored on the mobile suit's right shoulder and a shield for defense. The suit is typically armed with a single M703 57mm beam rifle to shoot down enemies. This rifle also mounts a grenade launcher. Despite being a "cheap and cheerful" production model, the suit is nonetheless highly effective in battle.
Alhough based upon the GAT-X105 Strike, the Strike Dagger isn't able to mount any Striker Packs. It also lacks EMP shielding which proved to be fatal during the suit's first sortie. Lastly the suit isn't equipped with the Strike's energy-intensive Phase Shift armor, which was removed both as a cost-cutting measure and to improve the Strike Dagger's combat endurance.
History
The Strike Dagger is the Earth Alliance's main mass-production type mobile suit for the last few months of the Bloody Valentine War. Its design is a highly simplified version of the experimental Strike, which had proved highly effective in combat against ZAFT's mobile suits.
The original GAT-01 design concept - later produced as the GAT-01A1 105 Dagger - was nearly identical in performance to the Strike. However, due to an urgent need to produce large numbers of mobile suits in a short time, the Strike Dagger removed several of the Strike's features that would be restored in the 105 Dagger, including the capacity to use Striker Packs, an advanced sensor system, and strong EMP shielding.
Introduced early in Cosmic Era 71 on May 25, the Strike Dagger saw first service in the Battle of Porta Panama, acquitting itself well in combat against ZAFT's ZGMF-1017 GINN mobile suits. However, the whole Strike Dagger unit which participated in that battle was neutralised when ZAFT used its Gungnir EMP weapon. Due to the massive losses which ZAFT had suffered earlier in the failed Operation Spit Break, the Alliance soldiers were brutaly slaughtered by ZAFT forces. After the Battle of Porta Panama, all Strike Daggers had their EMP shielding upgraded to defend against ZAFT's Gungnir weapon system.
From that battle onward, the Strike Dagger replaced the outdated TS-MA2 Moebius mobile armor in all roles other than nuclear delivery, proving superior to the GINN in ground combat. However it proved to be inferior to both Orb's MBF-M1 Astray, and ZAFT's successor unit, the ZGMF-600 GuAIZ. After the end of the first war, production of the Strike Dagger ceased in favour of the GAT-01A1 105 Dagger. However, during South America's war for independence, the nation's primary mobile suit was the Strike Dagger, which fared below average against the Atlantic Federation's newer GAT-01A1 105 Daggers and GAT-02L2 Dagger L models. However, one unit, piloted by USSA ally Barry Ho, managed to defeat several Atlantic Federation mobile suits before his own unit was crippled and he was rescued by Serpent Tail pilots Gai Murakumo and Elijah Kiel.
External Links
